What is a king?
Is it a wise ruler who shelters their people, entrusting them with dreams and protection?
Or is it a conqueror who pursues distant horizons, willing to sacrifice everything for the future and their ideals?
Perhaps it is a defiant rebel who refuses to bow to the gods, claiming authority through sheer will?
All these paths of kingship are valid. Yet, in Roy's eyes, they weren't entirely correct.
To him, a king was akin to a shepherd... a tool, albeit an advanced one, meant to guide the flock.
Having finished his tasks, Roy stepped down from the throne in the Sun Temple, which doubled as Ur's palace, and let out a weary sigh. His original plan had been to foster mutual understanding between Quetzalcoatl and the people of Ur, allowing her to lead them in facing the impending calamity brought by Tiamat.
But he hadn't anticipated Quetzalcoatl's cunning side. She had deftly shifted the responsibility of guiding Ur's people onto his shoulders, leaving him to lead tens of thousands of lives.
Yet, what did he know about being a king?
If circumstances allowed, he would have gladly handed Ur's population crisis over to Gilgamesh, who was already overworked in Uruk. Compared to Roy, a pseudo-king thrust into power by a goddess, Gilgamesh was the true and capable ruler.
Moreover, the thousands of soldiers Quetzalcoatl had taken from Ur were eager to return to the frontlines of the demon beast war. But the time wasn't right yet…
"What are you thinking about, Master?"
Roy was pulled from his thoughts by Quetzalcoatl's voice. He looked up to see her standing before him, having returned from training the soldiers.
He remembered she had left in the morning. Her return to the Sun Temple meant he had been busy here all day.
"…"
For someone who wasn't a true king, he had surprisingly thrown himself into the role.
"Nothing much. Just planning Ur's next steps," Roy replied, taking a rough clay tablet from an attendant and handing it to Quetzalcoatl.
"This is…"
Quetzalcoatl's eyes widened as she read the information inscribed on the tablet. It detailed a comprehensive plan for Ur's future.
First, a portion of the workforce would be allocated to restore basic agriculture. They would also hunt edible game in the rainforest, using the Sun Temple's energy to preserve the meat as emergency rations.
Additionally, they would construct sturdy defensive lines in the rainforest to fend off future demon beast attacks.
Next, envoys would be sent to Uruk to establish an alliance with Gilgamesh, informing him of Ur's situation and offering support when needed.
They would also deliver letters from the soldiers stranded in Ur to their families, assuring them that their loved ones were alive and fighting alongside a hero.
Lastly, Roy planned to visit Ereshkigal, the mistress of the Mesopotamian underworld and a member of the Three Goddess Alliance, to persuade her to join their cause in protecting humanity.
To ensure Ur's survival, they needed food, weapons, training, and allies. Time was of the essence, and they had to act swiftly.
However, they couldn't afford to draw too much attention. If Kingu and Gorgon discovered Quetzalcoatl's betrayal, Ur would face relentless attacks from demon beasts. Unlike Ur, which had a robust defensive line, Ur was ill-equipped to withstand such an onslaught.
After reading the plans, Quetzalcoatl frowned and began to ponder.
Roy was right.
Due to the oath of the Three Goddess Alliance, she couldn't directly attack Kingu or the self-proclaimed Tiamat, the Beast Goddess. Violating the oath would result in severe backlash, potentially even costing her life.
Similarly, Kingu and his "mother" couldn't invade her territory without facing consequences.
But if they discovered her alliance with Roy, they could bypass the oath's penalties and unleash their demon beasts on Ur. The fragile spark of humanity they had gathered would be extinguished.
The stakes were too high.
Understanding this, Quetzalcoatl had refrained from wandering Mesopotamia as she usually did. Instead, she stayed within Ur, training the soldiers and safeguarding the city.
Roy's plan to ally with Gilgamesh made sense. Like her, the King of Uruk sought to help humanity survive the impending catastrophe.
But the final part of the plan... approaching Ereshkigal... left Quetzalcoatl puzzled.
Unlike Gilgamesh, Ereshkigal was a full-fledged goddess, one of the most fearsome in Mesopotamian mythology. As the ruler of the underworld, she exuded an aura of death that made her difficult to approach.
Quetzalcoatl had only interacted with her through illusions during the Three Goddess Alliance meetings. From what she had seen, Ereshkigal didn't strike her as benevolent.
What if Ereshkigal had truly allied with Kingu to destroy humanity? If Roy's plan backfired, Ur would be doomed.
Quetzalcoatl couldn't help but voice her concerns.
"Master, do you know Ereshkigal well?"
"You mean the mistress of the underworld?"
"Yes."
"I've only seen her a few times through the Three Goddess Alliance's illusions. I've never actually met her."
"I see…"
Roy paused, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Quetzalcoatl. While I do have some unique insights about her, I don't know her as well as you might think. Like you, I've never met her in person."
"Huh?"
Quetzalcoatl was taken aback. How could Roy have insights about a goddess he had never met? Did Ereshkigal visit him in a dream?
Of course, she didn't know that Roy's "insights" came from his experiences playing Fate/Grand Order and completing its seventh chapter.
Ereshkigal, affectionately nicknamed "Eresh" by players, was the mistress of the Mesopotamian underworld. Though often misunderstood, she was a kind-hearted goddess who sought light despite her role in the realm of death.
Like Quetzalcoatl, she had joined the Three Goddess Alliance to buy time and protect humanity in her own way.
Defeating Tiamat would be impossible without her help. Only by trapping Tiamat in the underworld, where she couldn't sense living beings, could they hope to defeat the primordial mother goddess.
Roy was confident that, with the right approach and a suitable gift, he could persuade Ereshkigal to aid them.
"In any case, I'll need to leave for a while. I'm entrusting Ur to you, Quetzalcoatl."
Roy handed her the clay tablet containing his plans. It was all he could do for Ur at the moment.
He wasn't a true king, and these plans were only a rough outline. If anything went wrong, he trusted Quetzalcoatl's wisdom to handle it.
"You're leaving personally?"
Quetzalcoatl immediately understood. Roy intended to carry out these plans himself.
"Yes. I'll need to visit both the underworld and Ur."
Roy nodded. "These tasks are too dangerous for ordinary people. Only three individuals in Ur are capable of undertaking them. If you go, it'll raise suspicions. If Taiga goes, her personality might cause problems. So, I'm the most suitable choice."
"But you're now…"
"The king of Ur?" Roy chuckled. "If I'm the king, then I must lead by example. The people of Ur are fighting for their families and the world. Shouldn't their king do the same?"
"Even if this title was thrust upon me by a capricious goddess, I'll fulfill my role. Completing these plans is the best gift I can give to Ur's warriors."
"Honestly…"
Quetzalcoatl smiled, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. "You say you're not fit to be a king, but you're doing a fine job. Your decisiveness, sense of responsibility, and initiative are all qualities of a capable ruler."
"If this is your decision, I won't stop you. As Ur's goddess and your Servant, I'll trust your judgment."
She placed the clay tablet aside and looked at Roy seriously. "Go ahead. The people of Ur and I will support you."
"Thank you for understanding, Quetzalcoatl."
"No need to thank me. We're partners, after all."
She added, "I'll stay in Ur and follow your plans to prevent any mishaps. But I have one condition."
"Go ahead."
Roy nodded, waiting for her request.
"Take Taiga with you. She may be unreliable, but her strength is undeniable. Having her by your side will ease my worries."
Roy considered this but shook his head.
"No. Ur is bustling with activity now. You'll be busy training and managing the city. Taiga knows the rainforest best. She'll be more useful here, assisting you."
"But…"
Quetzalcoatl hesitated, but Roy cut her off.
"Don't worry. I won't be traveling alone."
He raised his hand, summoning a brilliant white light. Quetzalcoatl felt a familiar energy emanating from it.
"This is…"
"Heroic Spirit Summoning."
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